Meeting Max
by Iliketochangemynamedealwithit
Summary: It's that one chapter in The Angel Experiment when Max saves Ella to that one chapter where Max leaves, but through Ella's eyes. My disclaimer is here: I don't own Maximum Ride, James Patterson does. There. Happy?


**AN: Hello. I've been enjoying a YouTube marathon of sorts, watching all sorts of stuff. I then came across a video about Ella Martinez's day normally on a weekend when her mom was at work. Then I thought, "You know what would be an interesting story idea? That one scene where Max and Ella first saw each other through Ella's eyes." I searched around fanfiction, and I couldn't find it. If you have read something like this before on this site, please tell me 'cause I'd like to read it. :D**

_**…**_

I was walking home from school. My house wasn't far from there. Takes about thirty minutes while walking. I would take the short route, but I love the woods. I knew the invisible trail by heart.

I was walking towards the abandoned factory and about to turn when those stupid bullies who hurt Ortiz came up. I didn't know all of the names, I knew Jose and Dwayne, but the third was unknown. I have my own nicknames for them. I also knew that they were, pardon my French, a bunch of assholes. They surrounded me.

"What do you want?" I spit, my tone full of venom. They looked taken aback, like, "Ella can be mean?"  
But they soon recovered.

"I told you not to tell anybody about my situation with Ortiz!" Leader Idiot yelled at me "It's none of your business, I had to teach him a lesson!"

I bit my lip. I was terrified but I tried not to let it show. Follower Idiot had a gun. I glared at Leader Idiot. "By beating him up? He looks like he got hit by a car. And he didn't do anything to you,"

I wasn't exaggerating. I have seen what people look like after being hit by a car. It's not pretty. Ortiz was almost a carbon copy.

"He mouthed off to me. He exists. He breathes my air," Leader Idiot said. I was about to reply when a girl stepped out from behind the building. She was blonde, sun streaked, and beautiful. I vaguely noticed that she had my facial structure and eye color, both of which I inherited from my mother. Strange. She looked very tough and had defined muscles, but not so defined that she looked like a guy. She had scratches on her face and a black eye.

The guys were worried, then looked relieved. They turned back to me.

"So Ella, what have you got to say for yourself?" Lead Idiot taunted. "Any reason we shouldn't teach you a lesson too?" I was scared. I had no comeback, no way to get them to stop. Even if I had something to say, they wouldn't take it as acceptable anyway.

"Three guys against one girl. That seems about even," The girl said, walking towards us. She was very graceful, giving the illusion that she was floating. The level of fury on her face, for lack of better term, made her seem like a fallen angel. A beat up, dirty fallen angel.

"Shut up, chick," Deputy-like Idiot said. "Better get out of here if you know what's good for you!"

"Can't," she replied. She floated over to me. I looked up at her (she's really tall) thinking, "NO! GO BACK TO WHEREEVR YOU CAME FROM! THEY'LL HURT YOU TOO!" If she got hurt with me, I would feel guilty for the rest of my existence. I'm not sure my conscience would be able to stand such a blow.

"Actually, I think kicking your stupid butts would be good for me," she finished.

Oh God, oh God, oh God! She is not doing this. I don't care how strong you are, if you are facing someone and they have a gun, you don't start. You run. Simple as that.

They laughed. Leader Idiot said, "Grab Big Mouth."

CRAP! If they really take the time to grab you, you're screwed. I've hear rumors that they have actually raped people. I would never forgive myself if they raped her because of me.

Deputy-like Idiot and Follower Idiot stepped up towards her and then, so fast that you would miss it if you blinked, she kicked Leader Idiot's chest. I heard a rib snap. That set off a chain of events.

The other guys rushed at her and in a move so fluid I would expect it to be pulled off in an action movie, she pulled the gun out of the Follower Idiot's hand and whacked him over the head. A fountain of blood followed after.

The adrenaline was pumping and I stood there, thinking "Should I help her or should I run and hide? She looked at me briefly and yelled "Run! Get out of here!" I hesitated, internally arguing to help or be helped. Then the fear took over and I ran as fast as I could through the forest, faster than I'd ever run before. I thought I heard footsteps behind me and a couple gun shots, but that only made me run faster.  
_**….**_

I made it home in record time, panting. I reduced a half an hour walk down to a ten minute run. Funny what terror can do to your stamina and speed. I walked into the house, pausing to call out to my mom. No answer. Good, she wasn't home. If she was she would ask what's wrong and I'd have to tell her. Then she'd call the cops and then their parents would bribe those jerks out of jail, then I would be punished for telling authority. I had already told my mom a little, but if I told her too much, she would do just that.

Magnolia ran up and greeted me excitedly. I gave her attention and some fresh food. I then sat on the couch, watching some T.V. I couldn't get that girl out of my head. I was worried. "What if she is hurt? Dead? What if they are raping her?"

About three hours later, my mom came home and I took Magnolia out to go to the bathroom. It had started to rain so I took the umbrella with me.

"Come on girl, make it quick," I said. I thought I heard faint rustle in the bushes behind me, but thought nothing of it.

"Um, Ella?" I heard. I stiffened and jumped a bit.

The girl who helped me stepped out. I nearly sighed with relief. "It's me, the girl from before?" Magnolia trotted over to her and gave a half- hearted woof of warning.

"Oh yeah, hey- thanks for helping me," I said squinting. I mentally facepalmed. Stupid. She saves you from impending doom and all you can say is hey? "Are you okay? What are you doing?" WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GOD, ELLA, YOUR SO STUPID. I looked around warily, hoping those boys didn't follow her.

"I'm okay," she said. "Well, actually, I guess I need help." She said those words like saying them was humiliating and she never wanted to utter them again.

"Oh," I said lamely. "Gosh. Okay. Did those guys…?" I trailed off.

"One of them managed to clip me with some shot, if you can believe that," she said, walking slowly towards me.

I gasped, covering my mouth. "Oh, no! Why didn't you tell me? You're hurt? Why didn't you go to the hospital? Oh, my gosh, come on in!" Way to make it sound like it's her fault Ella. Idiot.

I stepped away from the door to give her room to move and dragged Magnolia away from her. The girl hesitated, and I could see she was deciding whether to go in or run off. Finally she asked, "Are your parents home?"

"There's just my mom. No dad," I said tightly, but I don't think she noticed. My dad was sort of a taboo among our family. "Come on, let's get you inside. Magnolia, here girl." I walked up the steps then turned towards the girl. "Can you walk?" I asked bluntly. Way to go Ella. Smooth.

"Uh-huh," she responded and walked, more like lumbered slowly to the house. She was cradling her arm. I thought I saw something red and oozy.

Oh my God, is that blood?" I asked, looking at said cradled arm. Not pausing to let her answer I said, "Oh, no, come on, we have to get you inside quick!" I practically bashed the door in with my shoulder in my haste, almost tripping over Magnolia in the process. Even more smooth, Ella.

"Mom! Mom! This girl needs help!" I yelled, rushing inside. I looked back. She looked like a deer in the headlights, probably debating whether or not to stay or go.

My mother came towards me and opened the door wider. "What is it, Ella? What's wrong?"

"Mom, this is-"I said.

"Max," the girl, Max, interjected.

"My friend Max. She's the girl I told you about, the one who saved me from Jose and Dwayne and them. She saved me. But they shot her."

"Oh no!" my mom exclaimed. "Please, Max, come in. Do you want me to call your parents?"

"Um…" Max stood awkwardly on the doormat, dripping blood and rain.

My mom then noticed said blood, scratches, and black eye and went into caring mother/doctor mode.

"Let me get my stuff," she said gently. "Take off your shoes and go with Ella to the bathroom."

We walked down the hallway, Max soaking wet, and she whispered, "What stuff is she going to get?"

I turned on the light in the bathroom and whispered back, "Her doctor stuff. She's a vet so she's good with injuries, even on people."

Max laughed lightly and I don't know why, but I didn't question it.

Max sat on the edge of the tub as my mom came in with her first aid supplies. She said, "Ella, maybe you could get Max some juice or something. She probably needs some sugar and fluids."

"Some juice would be great," Max said sounding like juice would be the best thing I the world at that moment. I nodded and rushed down the hall.

"Geez. Could this day get any worse for Max?" I thought as I poured some orange juice into a big glass. I rushed back down the hall as well, just as my mom was done cutting her sweater off. She was in a tank top and her shoulder was oozing blood.

"Here," I said. She started drinking it so fast I was sure she was going to choke.

"What's…" my mom said but didn't complete her thought.

Max looked down and turned slightly, and I saw… feathers?

"Max," my mom said. "What's this?"

"It's, uh… wing," she whispered nervously. "My, umm, wing," She started to hyperventilate. "It got hurt too."

"She extended her wing slowly to show the injured part. "Wha'…" I said stupidly.

My eyes widened. And widened. And widened. And widened. I, again, mentally facepalmed. "She saves your life and you repay her by gaping at her like a fish out of water?

Well, at least I understand why she laughed when she heard my mom was a vet. And why she looked like she was deciding to come in. It's obviously a secret.

My mom, of course, tried to play it cool, like, Oh, a wing? Yeah, birdkids come into the clinic all the time when they get shot. "Yeah, your wing got hit too. I think the shot nicked a bit of the bone." She murmured.

She pulled back, took a deep breath, and said in a cool, controlled voice, "Okay, Max. First, we have to clean the wounds and stop the bleeding. When's the last time you had a tetanus shot?"

Max, surprisingly (I don't know why it surprised me because I've known her for approximately an hour) teared and said, "Umm, never?"

"Okay," my mom replied. "I can take care of that too."  
_**…**_

Last night, Max all but collapsed because she was so tired, in her clothes and all. She tried to sleep on the couch, but when she fell asleep, we moved her and changed her into ones of my old shirts. I let my mom cut holes into it, just in case she wanted to keep it. I also gave her one of my sweaters that didn't fit me anymore but it would definitely fit her. Man was she skinny. She cut holes, well, slits in that, too. Her clothes were in the wash.

I went upstairs to see if she's awake. Since she seemed very flighty, excuse the pun, I opened it slowly as to not scare her. I saw her hands clenching the sheets and she looked scared but then relaxed when she saw me. "I think she's awake," I called softly to my mom.

She came up to the door. "Mornin' Max," she said. You hungry? Do you like pancakes?"

"And little sausages and fruit and stuff?" I tagged on.

Max was drooling a little as she nodded. We smiled and left.

Max came down, still in her pajamas, but we didn't mind. When we gave Max her plate and napkin, she looked very surprised, but dug right in. Then, it was time for school. Max was worried about the Idiot Posse bothering me, but I said the teacher and bus driver kept order well. When she heard about buses, she looked surprised and kind of excited. My mom won't let me walk to school in the morning. Too dangerous she says.

School was very uneventful, just some stupid project that my evil Social Studies teacher gave me. Stuff about philosophers and renaissance. I chose Montesquieu. That's about it. But, the Idiot Posse wasn't at school. Max must have beat the crap out of them before they got that shot in.  
_**…..**_

When I came home from school, Max looked worried, as did my mom. I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl then led Max to my room. So, what's wrong?" I asked. I had known her for like, two days and I already grew attached to her. Like a cousin, or sister.

"What? Nothing," she said quickly.

"Oh, come on. What happened today?"

"I went to your mom's office for an X-ray. Hid in a closet until some Era- government workers until they left. Your mom verbally kicked their as- butts. Kicked their butts," she caught herself. Era-government workers? Okay…

"How so?" I asked simply.

"They said, 'Anything unusual ma'am?' and your mom corrected, saying' Doctor!' and he said, 'Sorry Doctor, have you seen anything unusual?" and your mom replied, without missing a beat, 'Unusual like what? A double rainbow? Gasoline for less than a buck fifty? Sugar-free soda that actually tastes good?"

I laughed. "That's my mom for ya! Quicker than a bullet, sharper than an arrow."

Max smiled.  
_**…...**_

For dessert, my mom announced we were having cookies. Now, fun fact, my mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Max would probably die from the deliciousness. And she almost did. She ate so much cookie dough she all but barfed, but then sat in front of the oven waiting for them to cook.

"I. Am. In. Heaven!" Max inhaled deeply.

"Watched cookies never brown," my mother teased.

When my mom took out the first cookie sheet, Max waited about 5 seconds before she peeled one off and devoured it, mumbling incoherently about how good it was. My mom was smiling brighter than I'd ever seen her and I was too. "It's like you've never had a homemade chocolate chip cookie before," I said.

"Haven't," she replied.

Needless to say, we finished the entire batch.  
_**…..**_

"I have to take off tomorrow," Max told me while we were getting for bed.

"No!" I said. Yes, I know it's selfish, but I was never really the social bee and it felt good to connect to someone. Voicing my thoughts from earlier, I continued, " I love having you here. It's like a cousin. Or a sister."

I could see Max was upset with those words. "People are depending on me- it's really important."

"Will you come back to visit? Ever?" I asked hopefully.

"Probably not," she replied. When she saw my downcast expression, she quickly added, "I just-don't think I'll be able to. If I ever could, I would, but-"

She turned away and started brushing her teeth. I understood somewhat. I didn't know what was going on, nor did I want to know, judging from the bruises on her face before her fight with the Posse. But I can still wish, right?  
_**…...**_

Max wore the purple sweatshirt and tested out her wing. Then, she started out a mini speech, sounding awkward. "You guys helped me, and you didn't even know me. It would have been bad if you hadn't."

"You helped me and you didn't even know me, and you got hurt because of it," I replied, looking at my shoes.

Max replied, "Anyway- thanks. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," my mom said kindly, "We were glad to do it. And good luck-with whatever happens."

"We both hugged her, and she patted my elbow, sniffled once, then took off. My mom and I watched her fly gracefully far up, waving vigorously, and I swear she waved back at us. Then she was gone.

"By Max," I thought. "Thanks for being an awesome friend."

**AN: How'd I do? Do tell me in a review! :D Pretty long, if I do say so myself. 2,770 words. :D**

**SMILEYS FOR EVERYONE! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D D:D D:D: D:D D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D!**


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